Farm de Vine Vineyard

October 17, 2026.  Hari Moosani is a software architect during the week and on weekends a grape farmer – a real vigneron.  He sports thick sideburns and a bushy moustache that he may have started when studying at Bangalore University before the wife and kids.  The grower proudly farms his acre and a quarter of vines for his Farm de Vine Vineyard situated on the side of Short Hill near Hillsboro.  Farm de Vine is a small place in the less-frequented part of Western Loudoun. 

His acreage yields only around 100 cases a year on a normal year, but his experience has been that “normal” in Virginia is not always a good thing.  Since starting the vineyard in 2021, he’s experienced his first harvest (2022) – an emotional event for him, when the guidance of neighbors and people like Extension Agent Beth Sastre led him to plant small and grow slowly.  Then he endured a season of ruinous rains in 2024, and he completely lost this year’s Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc crop to April’s killer frost.  What survives in the short term is a quarter acre of Chambourcin because he happened to have planted it further up the hill from the road. 

Even after this, his bright eyes and sincere enthusiasm convey optimism.  The vines are not, after all, a total loss – they will be back next year.  He plans to plant more.  He plans to expand into a Bed and Breakfast business.  He has built stages for music and welcomes wedding rehearsal dinners, and small events that his facility can accommodate.  

 

The main tasting room is a converted horse barn with a tongue-and-groove ceiling forming a spine down the center of the room.  A high roof line created a glowing three-dimensional space.  There is comfortable open seating on one side of the room and a couple of old horse stalls have been repurposed for meeting spaces.  To remind us of the origins of the place, he keeps an ornate saddle on display by the front door and art work evoking the horsey life.  

 

We also discovered that there is no heat in the old stable; no fireplace, no propane heaters.  Because of that Hari normally closes Farm de Vine from November to April.  We can report, however, that it was plenty cold enough when we visited to have at least thought of closing the barn doors.  Instead, Hari kept the large doors open, creating a stiff frigid cross-breeze in the tasting room.  Kim had to exit early in favor of the relative warmth of our car. 

On a warmer day, visitors would do well to lounge on the sun deck that faces the Blue Ridge foothills.  Some of the leaves were fully bright crimson this October day, and others were doing their own veraison of colors. 

There are very limited food options at Farm de Vine, so bring your own victuals.  Children and pets are allowed.  There are no buildings for wine production as Nate Walsh produces and bottles the wine in a Custom Crush arrangement.  Hari, who designs his own labels, can tell you stories about his battles with the label regulators.  It’s a wonder sometimes that we have wine at all.

Here’s what we tried in between blasts of wind:

2023 White Oak Blend.  Hari supplements his all-red wine tasting list with the White Oak Blend produced by Bob Riggs at Forever Farm – now permanently closed.  Farm de Vine appears to have bought out the Forever Farm inventory.  I gave this Chardonnay-Chardonnel blend a B.  Tart and a little creamy to me (maybe some malo).

2024 Rosé.  From the vineyard’s Cabernet Sauvignon grapes – made before Hari had his own white grapes.  Straw nose.  Not floral, more citrusy.  Great for Summer, not pre-winter.  B.

2023 Cabernet Sauvignon.  I tasted the 2024 and 2023 Cab Sauv and preferred the 2023.  I  gave it a B+ and bought a bottle.  The 2023 has stronger fruit and tannin – a more sophisticated wine overall compared to the 2024.

2024 Cabernet Sauvignon.  Ruby color running to cola.  Smooth, Dark fruit.  Well-balanced.  Lighter in color and body compared to the 2023.  B.

2025 Chambourcin.  This is a new release for Farm de Vine.  A young wine.  Fruit forward, bright red fruit.  Not jammy or clumsy like some Chambourcins.  I give it a B ~ bordering on B+ territory.

Hari Moosani is moving ahead with plans for this little plot of heaven.  It is worth the visit.  And if you are on the Loudoun Farm Tour – stop in for some wine too.